crushed tibia plateau and broken tibea joint from landing fast and hard on a front rotation jamming my knee straight. had another guy off a yacht break his neck landing on the beach, but he was air lifted out and we never heard what happend to him in the end. I am 9 months into healing after getting my knee re-built with metal and went kitesurfing for a month back in June/July and had too much pain. Thinking about getting back into it now again, but possibly will start windsurfing again which seems to be easier on the old bones!!!! I need some kind of stoke though. I was 185 lbs before i broke my knee and i am now 195lbs only 9 months later! Eli

Good luck getting back on that horse. It sure can kick can't it?! Take good care of that knee and have fun shredding. You were always incredible on a windsurfer so it is a good move back into things.

I remember your mentioning the yacht fellow a while back. Could you email me privately with what details you know about the accident. Things like kite size, wind speed, the guys level of experience, the approximate date and what exactly happened. You may not have all the details but anything you know will help.

Winsurfing is fun but not easier on the knees. (I blow out my ACL windsurfing) Got your legs the best posible shape and go kiting when you want to.
I have a knee op (ACL) two years ago. The knee swels, cracks, some pain, but after all it is not a new one! Al this is normal and it will get better with time.
Once you are back on the water the bad days are over. (no icecreams and less beer is the harder part of this)

fractured hip(neckof femur).
Caught in a gust while still on the beach, shackled in and went up and up and up. Finally decided enough was enough , released shackle and fell to ground. Got off lightly. Pin and plates, 3.5 months post fracture and hope to start kiting again in 4-5 weeks.

Broke my neck and knocked myself out in a freak accident on the beach. Had vertebrae fused and metal brackets screwed to cervical vertebrae so I could be back kitesurfing as soon as possible. Was back kitesurfing 4 months after the accident.
Also damaged my shoulder in this accident and it was partially frozen leading to a lot of pain at times. Best cure for it was lots more kitesurfing. It's fine now.

Gotta get back on the horse that threw ya as soon as possible. You lose an incredible amount of condition, fitness, agility and confidence when you are laid up with an injury. It makes you feel way older than you thought you were and that's not a good feeling!

Have fun, you could be killed in a car accident tomorrow, Dave (Dr Surf Australia)

I've been fortunate and or lucky so far. I have about 9 years of traction kite experience on most kitesurfers though(i know others exist with prior kite experience, no need to attack me, but we are fewer than those without it) I've seen alot of broken ribs though.

I think I may have slightly sprained my neck or minor whiplash on a bad landing once or twice or 2,342,369,123,126 times. Aside from that, the worst that's ever happened to me was a minor concussion and week long headache from riding too damn close to the shore line once in onshore winds when a gust hit pushing me a bit closer to the shore where a fin caught the bottom stopping the board and sending me flying straight downwind onto the shore on my head. That was a couple of years ago though and will NEVER happen to me again. That's too easily avoidable by just staying well offshore.

I try to teach people from my experience when I see them placing themselves in 'not so obvious' dangers....it'd be nice if more of them would listen instead of continuing to tempt fate. Those who don't follow the simple advice from other people who have been there and seen it first hand DO end up paying for it eventually. Maybe not today, or this week..maybe not even this year, but eventually, they will get it too! Don't kid yourself, we can't control OR predict the wind or nature...stay the hell OFFSHORE!

Riding a twin tip, hit some chop and wiped out. Leash was attached to the one end of the board. While dragging along, steering the kite to overhead, the board inverted, submarined down and dug into the sand that was only 2 ft below the surface. I then became suspended in the air between the anchored board and the kite pulling overhead. After stabalizing the kite overhead, I suddenly dropped and landed with all wieght on the big toe. Luckily no broken bone, just took a year to walk it off. Still feel it alittle when stretching out.

Had to re-evaluate when to use the leash.
If I use the leash, I often disconect before going over shallows, then reconnect when outside.
That reel seems like a good idea.
Where the leash is attached to the board makes a difference also.